Worcester couple on a hot streak in barbecue contests

Thursday

Dec 5, 2013 at 6:00 AMDec 5, 2013 at 12:13 PM

By Barbara M. Houle CORRESPONDENT

The love for barbecue has paid off for Jared and Suzanne Huizenga of Worcester.

The husband-and-wife team, known in professional barbecue circles as Insane Swine BBQ, placed fourth overall out of 97 teams that competed in the annual Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue Oct. 27 in Lynchburg, Tenn.

At the event, often referred to as the Jack, the Huizengas placed fourth in the pork ribs category and fifth in chicken.

Jared Huizenga said the team qualified for the Jack by winning the barbecue competition at the Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ Festival held this summer in Swanzey, N.H.

"It was the first time that we ever won a BBQ competition," said Huizenga. "Even more exciting, we swept the weekend by also winning the grilling competition at the festival."

In October, the couple won their second BBQ Grand Championship at the Riverside Blues & BBQ Festival in Greenfield.

They also were Grand Champion winners (three times) and the Reserve Grand Champion (second place overall) at previous grilling competitions.

Talk about being on a roll.

The barbecue-obsessed home cooks competed in the BBQ category at the World Food Championships held last month in Las Vegas. There were seven categories to enter, according to Jared Huizenga, who said he and his wife finished second out of 66 teams in the first round of the BBQ competition. "In the second round, we finished fourth," said Huizenga. The couple qualified for the event by winning the Polish BBQ Battle grilling competition held this summer in Gardner.

Huizenga said the World Food Championships was filmed for television and will be broadcast as a reality show series on the A&E network in the spring.

As much as the Huizengas enjoy the world of competition barbecue, they consider it a "hobby" and have no plans to give up their day jobs.

Huizenga works for a market research company in Boston; his wife is a freelance editor.

Huizenga said he grew up on barbecue in Illinois, where his father once owned a butcher shop. "My wife, who is originally from Gardner, never really had barbecue until she met me," he said.

Suzanne Huizenga loves to cook, according to her husband, who said his wife has enjoyed baking desserts since she was a kid.

The Huizengas were certified judges at BBQ competitions in New England before they decided to compete. "After tasting so much barbecue, we realized our barbecue was just as good, if not better," said Jared Huizenga.

"At BBQ competitions, which always involve cooking the same four meats, I usually cook the chicken, pork shoulder and beef brisket, while Suzanne takes care of the pork ribs," said Huizenga. "We both help with arranging the meats in boxes for the judges." Appearance, taste and tenderness top the judges' scoring sheets, he said.

Huizenga explained that at grilling competitions, categories vary from event to event. "Suzanne is more involved in the cooking, and she has done especially well in the dessert category, where her cheesecake has won first place and also received a perfect score last year," he said.

The couple drive to as many competitions as they can, hauling equipment in a utility trailer. They have been a professional team for about five years.

Huizenga is president of the New England Barbecue Society. The 500 members of the nonprofit do charitable work and love to barbecue, said Huizenga. Visit www.nebs.org for more information about the society.

The Huizengas plan to take "time off" from barbecue after the holidays. "Our schedule has been pretty hectic," said Huizenga. "We were in 14 competitions in 2013. Typically, we've done six to eight a year."

Traveling the barbecue circuit isn't cheap.

There are entry fees at competitions, sometimes as much as $1,000 per contest, said Huizenga. "You also have to supply your own food," he said.

Winners take home trophies, prizes and, of course, bragging rights. Repeat winners, especially the ones who have become circuit legends, sometimes become celebrities with cookbook deals and TV shows.

Huizenga said he and his wife have met a lot of great people at competitions. "We're like a family," he said.

So what's the secret to great barbecue?

"Low and slow" is Huizenga's advice. Meat should be slow-cooked over a low temperature, he said.

Tip: The brewery's Christmas Ale has rich flavors of caramel and chocolate and is described as "the fermented equivalent of a good fire."

For more information about the tasting and holiday specials at the store, visit www.vinnycs.com or call (508) 869-6436.

Yankee Spirits in Sturbridge will have its annual Champagne Gala from 2 to 5 p.m. Dec. 7. Free to the public.

"This year, we're featuring our finest lineup ever, with plenty of grower champagnes (tiny production, estate wines) mixed in with the newest releases from tried and true labels, with something for every taste and every budget," said Joe Astukewicz, wine director. "Everything being sampled will be on sale at the year's best prices."

Sample champagne, cava, prosecco, sparkling wines and dessert wines. The tasting will include pouring of the latest release from Dom Perignon.

Visit www.yankeespirits.com for more information.

The "Big One" Wine Tasting and Sale is scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 7 at Tomasso Trattoria and Panzano, 154 Turnpike Road, Southboro. Admission is $20 per person. The tasting, which includes food, will take place in Tomasso Trattoria. More than 80 wines will be included in the tasting.

Reservations not required. For more information, visit www.tomassotrattoria.com.

In honor of the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate and the other varieties, Dunkin' Donuts celebrates with a special Hot Chocolate Twitter sweepstakes that offers fans the chance to win $25 mGifts through Dec. 6. Followers of @DunkinDonutscan answer a new question each day about the ways people treat themselves to hot chocolate this holiday season, using the official hashtag #DDHotChoc. Each day, four participants selected at random will each receive a $25 Dunkin' Donuts mGift. No purchase necessary, must be 18 or over to enter. For additional terms and conditions related to the twitter sweepstakes, visit www.dunkindonuts.com.

The new Red Velvet Latte will be available at Dunkin' Donuts through the end of the year.

Donations sought are unwrapped toys (gifts for ages infant to 18), or $10. For 12- to 18-year-olds, gift certificates to movies or music stores are suggested.

The toys will be distributed to The Guild of St. Agnes, Friendly House, the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester and Chandler Elementary School.

Viva Bene Ristorante will provide an Italian buffet for guests at the event. Raffles and silent auction to take place.

For more information, call Viva Bene Ristorante at (508) 799-9999.

Chuck's Steak House in Auburn offers a $20 gift certificate with the purchase of $100 in certificates, any denominations. No limit to the number of free certificates, according to the owners of the restaurant.